


pyropis igni

by lalahganaja



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alcohol, But mostly fluff, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Fluff and Angst, Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Named Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Porn with Feelings, near accidental voyeurism, smut in chapter 6
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 03:27:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29993163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalahganaja/pseuds/lalahganaja
Summary: Lalah Ganaja is terrified of her feelings for G'raha Tia and now it's the Scions' problem. Alisaie and Thancred scheme to make them confess their feelings to each other and spare the Scions any further headaches.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	pyropis igni

_ “When all is said and done, I would ask a favor of you.” _

His words rang in her head like a church bell, repeating over and over as she wrapped up her final agonizing errands on the First. 

Lalah Ganaja did not waste any time when she returned to the Source. The Scions’ souls were, according to Beq Lugg, safely transported to the white auracite vessels they and G’raha so lovingly and meticulously crafted, but Lalah couldn’t help but to feel uneasy about the whole thing. Even more concerning to her was the matter of G’raha’s own soul. Beq Lugg assured her that he successfully transferred his soul and memories over before he crystalized, but was only  _ cautiously optimistic _ they would be able to successfully merge with his still slumbering body on the Source. She teleported directly to Revenant's Toll, flinging wide the doors of the Seventh Heaven, ignoring the bewildered patrons of the bar, and bull-rushed her way into the Rising Stones. Tataru and Krile were already waiting, and Krile’s arms were crossed in such a way to suggest she had been waiting just a  _ little _ bit longer than she would have liked.

“What in the  _ bloody _ Twelve took you so long?!” Krile said, clearly exasperated. For a moment Lalah could  _ swear _ that she saw steam emanating from the lalafell’s ears. 

Lalah gave her a sheepish grin. “The Scions had just a little bit of...last minute business to attend to on the First. Terribly sorry, truly.”

Tataru pushed past the two and made her way to the doors of Dawn’s Respite, where their dear friends were slumbering peacefully. She gestured toward two rows of medical cots. “Lalah, dear, they’re waiting for  _ you. _ ”

They quietly entered Dawn’s Respite which was completely darkened save for a few lit candles. Tataru immediately went to work lighting the rest of the candles and Krile and Lalah went about the task of placing each auracite vessel next to their respective Scion. Lalah’s heart was pounding and she thought it would burst through her chest at any second. She drew in a deep breath, tightly shut her eyes, and prayed harder and with more sincerity than she ever had before. 

“Did it…? Are we…?” Alisaie shielded her eyes from the light as she slowly sat up.

“Yes, Alisaie. You’re home.” Lalah’s voice catches. “I’m glad you’re safe.” She quickly sat on the bed next to her best friend and threw her arms around her, squeezing the newly conscious Elezen just a little too tight, earning a well deserved glare from Krile.   
  


The rest of the Scions began to stir, one by one making their way back to reality, all of them groggy and moving slow as if they had been asleep for an eternity.

The moment almost made Lalah forget about her next task, one even more important to her than the last. Y’shtola was quick to remind her.

She quickly sat up, nearly dropping the still dazed Alisaie, and dashed out of the Rising Stones.

“But you only just got here!” Tataru yelled after the small miqo’te woman rushed past her. 

Lalah ran faster than she had ever run before, laser focused on saving _ him _ , the man who defied time and space to save her and two different worlds. She clutched the white auracite to her chest, and it gave off such a lovely warm heat that was so distinctly  _ G’raha _ . She drew her forearm up to her eyes, wiping away the errant tears that had started welling and blocking her vision as she ran down the well worn path towards Saint Coinach’s Find. She made her way past the Crystal Gate and the crumbled remains of The Eight Sentinels, untouched after nearly two years.

She navigated through the now silent halls of the Labyrinth of the Ancients, the winding path deeply ingrained in her memory.

She finally reached those dazzling crystal doors and held out the auracite that had been imbued with his royal blood. The doors started to hum, a whine that was both mechanical and magical. Slowly and agonizingly they opened, and Lalah timidly entered the radiant blue halls of the Syrcus Tower, the central spire of the larger Crystal Tower and the location of the great King Xande’s throne once more. She ascended the twisting gilded staircases of the spire, reaching the same throne room the Exarch’s now crystalized form stands in the First.

He was there, sitting on the great crystal throne, head propped up on the arm of the chair, as if he was simply taking an afternoon catnap. Lalah rushed to his side and gently placed the auracite down on the seat next to him. It did not immediately respond like it did for her fellow Scions. Tears flowed down her reddened cheeks.

“Raha, please...” she pleaded, softly, plaintively.

But still he did not stir. She cradled his head in her hands, clutching him to her chest. She ran her fingers through the mess of crimson hair, his usual braid undone by the passage of time. She softly, tenderly placed airy kisses all across his head, desperately trying to rouse the slumbering miqo’te. His face was still serene as if in a deep sleep. Finally, without thinking about it, she slanted her lips over his, wanting nothing more than for him to wake up and return the gesture.

The auracite pulsed with a bright light and she felt the warmth return to his body.

He pulled himself away from the overwhelmed Warrior and smiled warmly at her.

“Tis good to finally be awake, Lalah Ganaja.”

  
  


**__________**

It had been nearly two weeks since Lalah brought the hobbling, atrophied G’raha Tia back to the Rising Stones. Tataru gave him, Lalah, and the others very strict orders to not over exert themselves while they were recovering. None of them gave her any complaints because her ire was far more terrifying than any eikon. Even the usually intractable Lalah wouldn’t dare oppose Tataru, trading in her rapier and staff for a frying pan and sewing needle, intending to assist her in preparing her comrades’ meals and helping with one of Tataru’s famous “secret projects.” 

G’raha, now nearly fully recovered and itching to leave the confines of the Rising Stones, had ventured down to the Crystal Tower with Krile to assist her in warding the structure one final time.

The Scions were enjoying an unusually beautiful day on the balcony of Rowena’s House of Splendors. Alphinaud, as always, had his nose in a book and was sipping on a piping hot cup of fine Ishgardian tea. Alisaie was seated across from him, slumped down in her chair as if she was experiencing a type of boredom yet unseen by mankind. Urianger, Y’shtola, and Thancred however, were showing off their new clothes and weapons, eerily similar to the garb they all wore on the First.

“Oh, I’m so glad you like them! I do admit I had the help of a certain fiery pixie and her [adorable sapling]!” Tataru giggled as Y’shtola gave her a quick spin and a nod of approval. 

Thancred spotted Krile heading toward the patio with a very domestic looking Lalah in tow. Her normal pearlescent gossamer tunic and gilded leg wraps were replaced with a simple linen smock with a white half-apron, tan leggings, and comfortable leather sandals. Gone were her jeweled baubles and trinkets, which were unsuitable for a morning filled with kneading pastry dough. Instead she just wore a tiny pair of golden hoop earrings, nearly rendered invisible by the dense fur of her feline ears. Her long white hair was thrown up into a bouncy ponytail and her wispy strays kept back with a floral bandana. In her hands she carried a tray filled with finger sandwiches, coffee biscuits, fresh strawberries, and of course, freshly baked honey croissants. 

Krile, exhausted and nearly depleted of aether, unceremoniously plopped in a chair next to Alphinaud, her thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of her nose as if she was staving off a monstrous headache.

“Tataru, would you be a dear and bring me a fresh pot of tea?” She wrinkled her nose at the plate full of dry, dense slices of Archon loaf on the table. “And Lalah, a honey croissant, if you would be so kind.”

Tataru gave a sweet little curtsy to her exhausted partner and headed off to the kitchen, humming a chipper tune. Lalah placed the platter of snacks on the table next to Krile, grabbing a couple honey croissants for her and Alisaie and took a seat next to her. The normally ladylike Lalah leaned back in her chair, propping her feet up on the wooden table. She was truly comfortable around all of them and had no qualms about dropping all pretenses, titles, and Sharlayan manners around her closest friends. Of course, no sooner had she popped an entire honey croissant in her mouth, a certain red-haired miqo’te came jogging up the stairs to meet with his comrades. Lalah quickly and clumsily sat straight up, crossing her legs and smoothing down the front of her apron, all while taking a pained gulp to swallow her croissant. Alphinaud looked at her, alarmed in her sudden change of disposition. Y’shtola, Krile, and Alisaie did their best to stifle their laughter.

Lalah’s face turned scarlet and her tail began to swish wildly. G’raha was wearing his new adventuring clothes. While helping Tataru make her friends’ new outfits, she was  _ insistent _ that she handled G’raha’s outfit all by herself. It looked splendid on him. He was draped in crimson, white, and black with intricate pleats and gilded Allagan embroidery along the hemlines that took her hours despite being a master in her craft. It was obviously inspired by the beautiful regal robes he wore as the Crystal Exarch, but made more practical for adventuring with the addition of mid-length pants and sturdy boots. On his back was a new staff, crafted by an artisan certainly more talented than Lalah, containing a small piece of crystal from the tower itself.

“Krile and I have finished warding the tower, although at a slightly more diminished capacity than when I had Beq Lugg’s assistance. Do not worry, however as the tower is nearly impossible to reach, let alone breach. If any do succeed, their presence won’t escape my notice.” G’raha grinned and his ears stood straight up, eager to give his report on his first duty after being awoken. His gaze wandered to Lalah, catching her eyes. She immediately looked down at her plate mortified that he caught her staring. 

“Excellent. Said duty thus discharged, thou art free to go wheresoever thy fancy taketh thee.” Urianger’s flowery words caused Alisaie to audibly groan, which he so graciously ignored. “Have you come to a decision? Our offer remaineth open.”

G’raha’s eyes moved down to the floor. He started rubbing his arm, a nervous tic Lalah has now seen countless times that she finds  _ oh so endearing _ . His tail hung low and swished back and forth and his once upright ears were now flat against his head. 

“Well...if you’re certain that’s…I-I mean...” G’raha fumbled his words, white hot heat flooded to his face.

“Spit it out,  _ old _ man!” Alisaie hollered at the trembling, newly youthful G’raha, cackling at his ridiculous shyness after all he’s done for them.

“Seriously, Raha…” Lalah said, louder than she intended to, soon realizing she dropped the tribal letter at the start of his name in front of  _ everybody. _

His ears perked up at the sound of his true name and he straightened his back with his newfound resolve. “I accept. From this day forward, I shall be a Scion of the Seventh Dawn.” He gave an eager thumbs up. “G’raha Tia, at your service!”

Thancred gave the smaller man a hearty pat on the back and Alisaie, quick as lightning, snached his staff from him to inspect, growing more and more bitter about her own lack of a new weapon and clothing as she fawned over it.

The Scions were soon interrupted by cries of help in the Aetheryte plaza. A flock of rampaging hippogryphs were making their way to Revenant's Toll, a task normally too mundane to warrant the help of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, but Alisaie was itching for a fight. She shoved the crystal staff back into G’raha’s hands and leaped straight off the balcony. Alphinaud, sighing at his sister’s usual recklessness, made his way down the stairs. Thancred followed soon thereafter, taking care to grab a satchel of aether imbued cartridges from Y’shtola. Lalah gave G’raha a sweet, but timid smile and the two ran off after the twins, excited to finally start an adventure together as they had promised.

Y’shtola and Urianger, however, were much more inclined to sit back and enjoy their tea.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my first fic in 15 years! T_T And thanks to the bookclub for inspiring and enabling me to take this leap back into fanfic writing. I just love these two goofballs.


End file.
